RITUAL SPOON WITH ANCESTOR FIGURE

Belu, Indonesian Timor /19th century / Water buffalo horn / 20
cm

Inspired by the
earlier expedition of his role model, ethnographer G. P. Rouffaer, Nieuwenkamp
put together an impressive collection of ritual spoons during his visit to
Timor in 1918. The example with a three dimensional ancestor figure with a
glass bead necklace is one of the more impressive examples.

Seen on page 154 of
the 1924 catalog Sammlung, W. O. J. Nieuwenkamp, it is carved a rare piece of
blond water buffalo horn.